Cheniere Ordered to Shut Down 2 Tanks at Sabine Pass LNG Terminal

The US regulator has ordered Cheniere Energy to shut down two storage tanks at its Sabine Pass LNG export facility following the discovery of a release of LNG from one of them.

The Department of Transporation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) issued a corrective action order (CAO) to the facility in Cameron Parish, Louisiana, on February 8, 2018.

The order requires Tanks S-101 and S-103 to be removed from service.

As informed, the CAO is the result of safety concerns identified by PHMSA’s Accident and Investigations team as part of their preliminary investigation findings following the report and discovery of the leak on January 22, 2018.

“Tank S-103 experienced a release of LNG into the annulus and the LNG eventually escaped through four separate cracks in the outer tank and pooled in the secondary containment area surrounding the tank,” the CAO says.

Sabine reported no injuries or fatalities as a result of the incident, and there were no reported fires or explosions.

PHMSA’s investigation is still ongoing and the cause of the incident is yet to be determined.

In February 2016, Cheniere loaded the first commissioning cargo of LNG from its Sabine Pass LNG terminal.

The terminal will have six liquefaction trains and each of them is expected to have a nominal production capacity of approximately 4.5 million tons per annum of LNG. Trains 1-4 have been completed and the remaining two remain to be constructed.